THE COASTLINE

Mangrove swamps are found on many locations of the Brazilian coast, where rivers meet the sea. Unfortunately, many have been partly destroyed. Impresssive formations can still be found in the Lagamar area (border of the states of São Paulo and Paraná), the bay of Camamu (Bahia), the Parnaiba Delta (Piaui) and around the mouth of the Amazon.

‘Restinga‘ is a coastal strip vegetation adapted to the extreme conditions of burning sun, strong winds, salty air and sandy soil. The vegetation includes cactus and thorny shrubs and also cashew nut.

The largest coral reef formation in the South Atlantic is Abrolhos National Marine Park (Bahia), which is also a nursery for humpback whales.

Coral reefs can be found in many places along the Brazilian coast. Many of the northeastern beaches have natural coral reef pools. The largest coral reef formation in the South Atlantic is Abrolhos National Marine Park (Bahia), which is also a nursery for humpback whales. The other Marine Park of Brazil is Fernando de Noronha (Pernambuco), a volcanic island that is a top diving spot and also great for surfing. The Reef of Manoel Luis, 185 km off the coast of Maranhão, is considered one of the wonders of the underwater world. It is very difficult to visit however because of its remote location, high waves and strong currents and needs a special permit.